BTCC Update – Final Pre Season Round Up
With the first race of the BTCC less than a day away, ESM’s BTCC correspondent brings you the latest last-minute news.
Following the BTCC Media Day last week, there was an official test with the times charts topped by Andrew Jordan. However, Jason Plato and reigning champion Gordon Sheddon were not far behind him. An impressive fourth was Adam Morgan in his Ciceley Racing Toyota Avensis.
A new team has been created running under the sponsorship name of M247 Racing with a S2000 Chevrolet Cruze. The team was Finesse Motorsport, who ran in the Renault Clio Cup, and they have joined forces with the well renowned Tech-Speed Motorsport. The lucky driver competing for the Jack Sears Trophy will be Joe Girling.
There is also a welcome return to the grid for a fans’ favourite car: The Seat Leon. Naturally, I have an extra special love for the Leon as I drive a TFSI version, but it seems widely accepted that it is an excellent touring car. Warren Scott will have the honour of driving this car, despite him being more use to 2 wheels. We’ll see how it goes!
As you may be starting to gather from previous articles, I don’t have a great love for Andy Neate. However, as the season starts, Neate’s team have announced they will be running 2 Chevrolet Cruzes this season. Donington Park will see the emergence of one of the cars, with the other following later in the season. Understandably, Neate doesn’t want to risk the first car at Brands Hatch because it will come last. Sorry, I mean because he doesn’t want to risk the car due to it not being finished in time for testing ahead of the season opener. I wouldn’t rush Andy, you’re not really going to be challenging for any honours.
In my last article, I predicted Lea Wood was more than likely to be seen on the 2013 grid in a Speedworks Avensis. Well, I was half right! Surprisingly, Wood has announced that he will be returning to the grid but racing a Vauxhall Vectra; God love this car. It is now surely older than Sir Paul McCartney? With this announcement, it means that Wood will join the growing ranks of people competing for the Jack Sears Trophy. The gap left by Wood’s non-arrival at Speedworks has been filled by Ollie Jackson, despite Paul O’Neill being linked with the seat.
Following this week’s final additions the grid is packed ahead of the start of the 2013 new season. I can’t wait!
The Tame Geek Reviews the Audi A5 Convertible
ESM likes Audis. So does our good friend, and contributor, The Tame Geek. So when he spotted the chance to take a spin in a new Audi A5 Convertible, he leapt at the chance like a startled gazelle.
Head on over to his site to check out what he thought of the drop-top Ingolstadt cruiser. To tempt you, here’s a photo of the svelte animal:
(Image courtest of tame-geek.co.uk)
Enjoy!
“Some say he’s wanted by the CIA, and that he sleeps upside down like a bat…
…all we know is he’s called The Tame Geek“
Along with being a technology and gizmo expert, he’s also rather good at being Jeremy Clarkson. Take a look at this video he submitted with this review of the Range Rover Evoque:
Uncanny isn’t it. And on that bombshell, goodnight!
Engage Sport Mode at BTCC – Oulton Park 10/06/2012
Today ESM spent many hours at the British Touring Car Championship at Oulton Park in Cheshire. Along with getting sun burnt, ESM also took a rather large number of photos before the iPhone battery cried enough. Yes I could have used a proper camera, but I didn’t.
Here’s a selection of three photos . The rest will be uploaded once the sun burn subsides. Enjoy:
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- Plato takes Welch in race two.
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- Paddock Life…
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- Now THAT is a hot dog!
A quick note on the name
Engage Sport Mode wasn’t intended to be the first choice for this blog.
When I tried coming up with ideas “Straight-Shifting” was one which first popped into my head. However, some research turned up links to car stuff related to…how to put this properly….a gay car blog. Not that I have a problem with such a concept, I just didn’t want any ambiguity in the name of my site! And the fact the first title I came up with has such links probably says more about me than anyone else!
Anyway, I thought about other car type names (which weren’t already taken) and settled on Engage Sport Mode. This comes from the days of my very first car which had a massive 50bhp. Shouting ”Engage sport mode” meant to close the windows, turn off the radio and stop the heater fans in a some lame attempt to extract more performance. Needless to say it didn’t make a blind bit of difference!
But the fun of that lives on. And I now have a car with a genuine SPORT button. Oh yes.
Welcome to Engage Sport Mode
Hello, hi, how are ya, bonjour, and so forth.
This is my new toy; a blog designed to let me vent my feelings about all things automotive and related stuff.
I don’t profess to be a professional car journalist, I am merely an opinionated amateur. There are hundreds if not thousands of similar blogs in existence, but I’ve decided to take my very own slice of the metaphorical pie.
My love for cars runs deep; I still have the original Audi ur-Quattro model car my Father bought me 25+ years ago. I devour anything and everything in the motoring sphere and have developed my own views after all this exposure.
Anyway, welcome and I’ll attempt to add new content as and when I can. Not withstanding the demands of a 4-month old puppy and a girlfriend!
Mr John
